Renamed in 1783 by Abraham Gottlob Werner from the Arabic (and, in turn, from the Persian "azargun") "zar", gold, plus "gun", coloured, referring to one of the many colours that the mineral may display. Originally named λυγκύριον "lyncurion" in ~300 BCE by Theophrastus. A mineral that may have been today's zircon was called chrysolithos by Pliny in 37. Called jacinth by Georgius Agricola in 1555. Mentioned as jargon by Axel Cronstedt in 1758. Called hyacinte by Barthelemy Faujas de Saint-Fond in 1772. Numerous later synonyms have been advanced.

Zircon, zirconium orthosilicate, is found in most igneous rocks and some metamorphic rocks as small crystals or grains, mostly widely distributed and rarely more than 1% of the total mass of the rock. It is also found as alluvial grains in some sedimentary rocks due to its high hardness. Zircon has a high refraction index and, when the crystals are large enough, is often used as a gemstone.
In geology, zircon is used for radiometric dating of zircon-bearing rocks (using isotopes of U which is often present as an impurity element, as is Th, radiogenic Pb, Hf, Y, P, and others).

A metamict, often Hf-rich variety of Zircon from granite pegmatites.
Original analysis (1855) of material from several localities in Aust-Agder, Norway, shows major Si, Y, Th, Al, Fe, Zr and H2O. Later analysis cited by Clark (1993) shows Zr, Be and/or ...

A micro-granular, earthy, usually light-colored (white) Zircon of sedimentary origin. Usually mentioned in sodic lakes sediments and caperocks of salt domes. Often Arshinovites are extremely depleted in Hf, and by this reason able to be used for productio...

An anthropogenic (technogenic) variety, formed due to the meltdown of the Chernobyl reactor no. 4, found within the "corium" ("lava"-like material) of the so-called elephant foot structure. Zr and U are from fuel elements. Contains anomalously much uraniu...

Greenish grey to greenish brown anhedral grains, crude crystals or spheroidal aggregates. Originally mis-described as a new U-Th-silicate, without having analyzed for Zr, but within a year it was found to really be a Y-Th-U-rich variety of zircon (or "cyr...

Many zircons are fluorescent, but some (mainly metamict ones) are not. Fluorescent zircon, from dull to bright in intensity, shows shades of yellow, golden-yellow and yellow-brown (SW UV). This property is often diagnostic in identification.

Nunes, P.D. and Steiger, P.H. (1974) A U-Pb zircon, and Rb-Sr and U-Th-Pb whole-rock study of a polymetamorphic terrane in the Central Alps, Switzerland. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 47: 255-280.

Hazen, R.M. and Finger, L.W. (1979) Crystal structure and compressibility of zircon at high pressure. American Mineralogist: 64: 196.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality.
The symbol next to localities in the list
can be used to jump to that position on the map.

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates.ⓘ - Click for further information on this occurrence.? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant.(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (eg from pseudomorphs.)

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.

Grew, E. S., Essene, E. J., Peacor, D. R., Su, S. C. and Asami, M. (1991): Dissakisite-(Ce), a new member of the epidote group and the magnesium analogue of allanite-(Ce), from Antarctica. American Mineralogist 76, 1990-1997.

Seat, Z. (2008) Geology, Petrology, Mineral and Whole-rock Chemistry, Stable and Radiogenic Isotope Systematics and Ni-Cu-PGE Mineralisation of the Nebo-Babel Intrusion, West Musgrave, Western Australia. PhD. Thesis, University of Western Australia.